RINGLEADER
10-25-2005, 01:12 AM
Buried at the end of Adam Teicher's latest:
Chiefs back in the hunt
Crazy losses by West rivals give KC shot at first
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
For much of Sunday afternoon, it looked as if the Chiefs would be playing to save their season this week in San Diego.
Now, thanks to improbable fourth-quarter rallies that allowed the Chargers and Broncos to lose to Philadelphia and the Giants, the Chiefs could return home from California on Sunday night in sole possession of first place in the AFC West.
For that to happen, the 4-2 Chiefs need to win at 3-4 San Diego and have 5-2 Denver lose at home to Philadelphia. Either outcome is far from a certainty, but for the Chiefs, the mere possibility beats what was shaping up as the alternative.
If both the Chargers and Broncos had hung on to win, Sunday’s game in San Diego would have amounted to an elimination match from the AFC West race. It still is, if only for San Diego.
For the Chiefs, it’s an opportunity they shouldn’t have had. At least that’s the thought that occurred to Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil as he watched incredulously as first the Chargers, then the Broncos, crumbled in the final moments.
“You’ve heard me say this: You lose more games you should have won than win games you should have lost,” Vermeil said. “That’s just how it is. I realized that more when I became a broadcaster and was looking down on two football teams. I watched a team lose that had no business losing. As you go through the years, we as coaches don’t talk too much about that, because it looks like we’re making excuses.”
Whether the Chiefs have any business with this chance at first place, there it is. They had a similar opportunity to take early control of the division race last month but failed miserably and lost a Monday night game in Denver.
While first place less than halfway through the schedule might seem like a dubious prize, it hasn’t been in the AFC West. The eventual division winner was at least tied for first place in three of the last four seasons.
The AFC West hasn’t seen a close division race in years. In 2002, the Randy Moss and the Raiderz clinched in the next-to-last game and wound up winning by two games. The next season, the Chiefs clinched early and won by three.
Last year, the Chargers took control early in December and won by two games. So the division may be due for a close race.
“I think it’s hard to say that right now,” Vermeil said. “As it appears right now, I’d say it’s very competitive.
“This division’s always had good teams in it since I’ve been here. It’s never been down. It’s had a Super Bowl team. The Randy Moss and the Raiderz have gone to the Super Bowl since I’ve been here. We’ve been to one playoff game and should’ve had more, but we didn’t get it done. Denver’s been. San Diego’s been.”
The Chiefs’ schedule flattens out after their trip to San Diego. They return to Arrowhead Stadium for a game against Oakland before a two-game road trip to Buffalo and Houston.
Four of the final six games will then be played at Arrowhead.
After playing the Chiefs, San Diego begins a five-game stretch in which only one opponent has better than a .500 record. The Chargers are at Washington on Nov. 27.
The Broncos have five of their last eight on the road, including games with the Cowboys, Chiefs and Chargers.
<B>? MCCLEON’S STATUS: Vermeil said the Chiefs might get cornerback Dexter McCleon back after he missed the Miami game because of a strained groin muscle. But he also said Eric Warfield would probably start instead.</B>
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/12988382.htm
Chiefs back in the hunt
Crazy losses by West rivals give KC shot at first
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
For much of Sunday afternoon, it looked as if the Chiefs would be playing to save their season this week in San Diego.
Now, thanks to improbable fourth-quarter rallies that allowed the Chargers and Broncos to lose to Philadelphia and the Giants, the Chiefs could return home from California on Sunday night in sole possession of first place in the AFC West.
For that to happen, the 4-2 Chiefs need to win at 3-4 San Diego and have 5-2 Denver lose at home to Philadelphia. Either outcome is far from a certainty, but for the Chiefs, the mere possibility beats what was shaping up as the alternative.
If both the Chargers and Broncos had hung on to win, Sunday’s game in San Diego would have amounted to an elimination match from the AFC West race. It still is, if only for San Diego.
For the Chiefs, it’s an opportunity they shouldn’t have had. At least that’s the thought that occurred to Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil as he watched incredulously as first the Chargers, then the Broncos, crumbled in the final moments.
“You’ve heard me say this: You lose more games you should have won than win games you should have lost,” Vermeil said. “That’s just how it is. I realized that more when I became a broadcaster and was looking down on two football teams. I watched a team lose that had no business losing. As you go through the years, we as coaches don’t talk too much about that, because it looks like we’re making excuses.”
Whether the Chiefs have any business with this chance at first place, there it is. They had a similar opportunity to take early control of the division race last month but failed miserably and lost a Monday night game in Denver.
While first place less than halfway through the schedule might seem like a dubious prize, it hasn’t been in the AFC West. The eventual division winner was at least tied for first place in three of the last four seasons.
The AFC West hasn’t seen a close division race in years. In 2002, the Randy Moss and the Raiderz clinched in the next-to-last game and wound up winning by two games. The next season, the Chiefs clinched early and won by three.
Last year, the Chargers took control early in December and won by two games. So the division may be due for a close race.
“I think it’s hard to say that right now,” Vermeil said. “As it appears right now, I’d say it’s very competitive.
“This division’s always had good teams in it since I’ve been here. It’s never been down. It’s had a Super Bowl team. The Randy Moss and the Raiderz have gone to the Super Bowl since I’ve been here. We’ve been to one playoff game and should’ve had more, but we didn’t get it done. Denver’s been. San Diego’s been.”
The Chiefs’ schedule flattens out after their trip to San Diego. They return to Arrowhead Stadium for a game against Oakland before a two-game road trip to Buffalo and Houston.
Four of the final six games will then be played at Arrowhead.
After playing the Chiefs, San Diego begins a five-game stretch in which only one opponent has better than a .500 record. The Chargers are at Washington on Nov. 27.
The Broncos have five of their last eight on the road, including games with the Cowboys, Chiefs and Chargers.
<B>? MCCLEON’S STATUS: Vermeil said the Chiefs might get cornerback Dexter McCleon back after he missed the Miami game because of a strained groin muscle. But he also said Eric Warfield would probably start instead.</B>
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/12988382.htm